Thanks to Madison Middle School PTA president Kim Early for sharing word of two days of special events at the school, tomorrow and Wednesday, because of Take Your Family to School Week … everything from cooking demonstrations, to class observations, to learning something you might not know about the art of raising a middle-schooler (for example, “breaking the code” of texting — do you know what KPC stands for?) .. Read on!

Take Your Family to School Week 2/9/10 & 2/10/10
Our PTSA won a grant for Take Your Family to School Week and we are celebrating it
on Feb 9th from 8:00 am – 12:35 pm (Break It) and Feb 10th from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
(Make It & Shake It). Our theme is Break It! Make It! and Shake It!

Madison is 1 of 32 schools in the United States to receive this National PTA award worth $1897 to help promote parent involvement and support student achievement!

Break It, Make It, & Shake It! is the theme for the week! Below is a description of what won Madison this award!

On Tuesday, February 9th from 8:00 am – 2:35 pm, we will celebrate the theme of Break It! At the start of school, parents/guardians follow their student to class to not only observe, but to participate in the class as well, following along & even answering questions! Later in that morning, workshops will be offered for parents/guardians to assist in furthering their skills to help their teenager with the middle school years, academically, emotionally & socially. These 50 minute workshops will be offered twice (10:00 – 10:50 & 10:55 – 11:50) & given in conjunction with teachers, staff, counselors & community resource groups. The workshops entitled “Breaking the Code Of ________” will include classes such as:

3rd period Workshops – 10:00 – 10:50
Teen’s Access to Health Care: Staying in the loop. Madison Middle school nurse, Samara Hoag. Your teen can access a variety of counseling and medical services without your consent. We will review the laws regarding access to health care and discuss strategies to help you stay connected to your teen. (Offered only once)

Talking with Kids About Sex and Sexuality. SPS Lisa Love, Training Specialist.
Come learn some practical tips for talking with your kids about sex and sexuality. We will laugh and have fun while tackling these sometimes challenging topics. We will explore ways to really listen to your kids and answer some of the difficult questions they may ask us!

College Bound & How to Plan for Your Child’s Future Now! – Madison counselors, Ms. Laura Dale, Ms. Kitty Burke, & Ms. Laura Divena. How do I begin preparing for college now? What should I do and how do I go about it? Come to this session to get these questions answered and have your student and yourself be on their way and college bound!

Computers, Technology & the Code of Silence. SPS Mike Donlin, Computer Technology.
If social networking is so “social”, how come kids never talk to us about what they are doing online? Let’s talk Facebook….texting…Twitter…YouTube…and more.

What’s Underneath all this Girl Drama?! Madison Assistant Principal, Jennifer Kniseley. Most studies focus on boys as aggressors, but girls can bully too but in an entire different way that is covert. Come to this session to discuss the signs of “relational aggression,” how to address these behaviors & create safer environments for girls & their friends!
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KPC or not?! Keeping Parents Clueless. Madison students! Come past to see this special presentation done by your own Madison students, an on-going power point presentation on texting and what it all means as far as texts like LOL, OMG, and the number 6 so you can have a better understanding of what those texting initials means.

4th period Workshops – 10:55 – 11:50
Parental Stress & How to Handle It! – Madison Wellness staff, Auky van Beek, PA-C and Anne Lung LICMSW. As a parent/guardian, do you have the middle school blues? Between struggling with your child and their homework and overall teen drama, come and join us for this for this informative presentation, we’re you have a chance to discuss some tips on preventing trouble down the road, how to take a 5 minute stress break, and self care in stressful times! (Offered only once)

Talking with Kids About Sex and Sexuality. SPS Lisa Love, Training Specialist.

College Bound & How to Plan for Your Child’s Future Now! – Madison counselors.

Computers, Technology & the Code of Silence. SPS Mike Donlin, Computer Technology.

KPC or not?! Keeping Parents Clueless. Madison students!

And stay tuned . . . the Parent Pledge will be unveiled!!

On Wednesday night, from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm, we will celebrate the themes of Make It and Shake It! With Make It! This is a chance to honor the rich diversity of the school, the students & their parents/guardians who now get a chance to attend various cooking classes where they have to make it! These classes will be repeated twice at 30 minute intervals and revolve around the theme of everyone bakes bread. Here they learn how to make the food & get a chance to eat it what they made! Cooking demonstrations thus far include:

Injera (Somali bread from Africa)
Bunuelos (Mexican) – fried flour tortillas eaten as dessert with cinnamon & sugar.
Cornbread (Southern cooking)
Challah – (Jewish bread)
Tortilla chips & Salsa (Mexico)

With Shake It! participants get to celebrate diversity that continues with various cultural dance workshops where they now have to shake it! Workshops will include a historical lesson about the origins of the dance & participants will have a chance to show what they have learned during class! These 30 minute classes will be offered twice. Traditional dance workshops thus far will include:

Brazil – South America. Featuring choreographer & dancer Dora D’Oliveria-Newman!

Afro-Cuban – Caribbean. Featuring drummer, dancer & singer, Mark Lilly!

Philippines – Southeast Asia. Featuring dancer, instructor, Stephanie Senon!

Hip-Hop – America. Featuring dancer & choreographer, Madison’s own Ms. Issakson!